The Gift of Freedom
by BlueGate17
Summary: Follow the story of a young man trapped by Harmonia's Caste System, as he struggles against those who would use him to fuel a war.
1. Epilogue

Author's Note: Hey everyone! This is my very first fan fic so be kind! This story takes place in the Holy Kingdom of Harmonia in which the Caste System governs. For those unfamiliar with the Caste System here's a little run down. At the top we have the "pure Harmonians" (blue eyed and blond) who are of aristocratic blood. Those are first class citizens and have all the rights and privileges. Then comes the 2nd class which are people from nations having been _conquered_ by Harmonia. They have similar rights as the first class but are hardly ever aristocrats. Next is the 3rd class in which people from nations that _resisted_ Harmonian rule come from. They are usually sold off to aristocratic families to serve them or end up as slaves.

There has been a power struggle between the Temple Faction and the People's Faction for years and years. The Temple Faction is made up of aristocrats who support of the priest and the Caste System. The People's Faction, on the other hand, want equality between all citizens ranks. This struggle has lead to many civil uprisings and is depicted in my story. Enjoy!

**A Tarnished Life: Prologue**

In a small province in Harmonia, a mother of the third class received the blessing of a third child. She rejoiced in silence and prayed to the gods that she would be allowed to raise her youngest, and mostly likely, her last child. Living in Harmonia was a true horror in the eyes of the young woman and she dreamed of the day she could escape such enslavement and find her lost children.

Like the children of her close friends that belonged to the same class as her, Marina's first two children had been snatched away from her bosom and had never seen them again. She hoped that this time, someone would take pity on her.

Months passed since her son's birth and still Marine held on to her treasure as if it were the most valuable thing in the world. She would not even allow her neighbors to look at the infant unless she was holding it tightly against her breast. Still, her attempts to keep her son safe were futile...

A cold winter gale announced the coming of a powerful storm. The villagers were running about preparing for the tempest that was looming over the great mountains. Marine watched as the last villager, the blacksmith, put away his equipment and rushed inside, seconds before the first raindrops began to fall. She shut the door, holding her son closer to her as she walked towards a wooden chair by the candlelight. She sat down and sighed deeply as she began to nurse the infant, who remained silent in spite of the wind's howling. Lightly kissing her son's hairless head, she began to doze off and was not woken until hours later, when a loud knocking at the door roused her from her sleep.

Gasping loudly she stood up and took a step backwards holding her son tightly. A second knock, this time louder, made her flinch, for she knew what it meant. Still, she remained silent, but the remaining hope was drained from her when the door was knocked down forcefully. It came crashing down, splinters flying up into the air. Screaming, she ran towards the back of the tiny house, begging the man that approached not to take her son. Cold, heartless eyes under a black hood slowly stepped up to her and whispered a warning. She cried out as she fell to the ground, the man having snatched the infant who had woken up and had begun wailing. She could not fight back...she knew it would all be in vain. She would not risk her life...yet. She would stay alive and she would find a way to get her children back, even if it cost her her life...

As she fell unconscious she heard the last mournful cries of her son as the man carried him into the darkness.

"Good bye, my son...Until again...we meet..."

Disclaimer: The land of Harmonia and everything it encompasses belongs to Konami but Marine is MINE! ALL MINE!

Thanks for reading. Please review: )


	2. What's your name?

**What's your name?**

The large mansion, nestled deep within the city of Rega Arme, was almost completely silent, in spite of it being broad daylight. From outside the corridor leading to the bedrooms, all that was heard was the faint sound of some kind of brush, scrubbing away.

The small boy jumped when a notebook slammed against the tiled flooring before him. His large doe eyes stared at the tattered notebook in silence. "HomWrk" it read in black scrawl at the top of the first page. The boy slowly looked up at the fair-skinned child standing before him, looking down at him curiously over his small belly.

"Mamma says you have to help me with my homework." the blue-eyed boy stated after several seconds of silence. The soaped-up brush was gently lain on the wet floor and the four-year old boy stood on his feet. "But… Master Ruvenelli said I had to clean the floors…" he whispered timidly, looking at the floor as he had always been taught to do. "So." the fair child said simply.

"C'mon." he instructed, picking up the notebook and walking towards the door and out into the hall. The younger child was left standing in silence. He turned back towards the brush, uncertainty in his big brown eyes as he placed a finger at his lips. "But…" he whispered uselessly.

"COME. ON!" the other boy called at the top of his lungs from the adjacent room. Having no other choice, the small boy gave up and hurried out of his master's bedroom.

When he stepped into the large room, his eyes grew wide in astonishment. The room was filled with the most expensive toys money could buy. From a board game made with crystal pieces, to tiny figurines adorned with armor typical of Harmonian soldiers. There was even a large transparent ball that had golden bells inside of it so that when you kicked it, a beautiful jingle was played. He was in awe. Never in his life had the four-year old been allowed into his young master's room.

"Close the door, will ya?" blue-eyed boy called from his place at the center of the room. The door was obediently but hesitantly shut and the dark-haired child turned back into the room.

The notebook was thrown onto the floor for the second time, startling the youth again. "Professor Jemma is real hag!" the older boy stated from the center of the room. He sat down Indian-style in front of his notebook.

"Are you gonna stand there all day?" he questioned as he watched his small companion continue to gape.

"Oh… I-I'm sorry." came the blushing response. The smaller boy shyly made his way over to the notebook, kneeling down in front of the blue-eyed boy. He could feel the older boy watching him but he wouldn't look up at him if it cost him his life.

"Alright. I have to write numbers today."

"…H-How many…?"

The fair-haired child turned tomato red. _**"He doesn't know."** _the other boy thought to himself. A tiny smirk graced his lips, but he forced it to disappear just as quickly as it had formed.

"Umm…this many!" came the late reply. Ten stubby fingers were held up a bit too enthusiastically.

"Oh…" was the skeptical response. "…M-Maybe you should write your name first…" the younger of the two added, looking down at the sheet of paper.

Tongue sticking out of one side of his mouth, and a concentrated frown on his face, the blue-eyed child carefully began to scribble his name at the top-right corner of the page.

"XaNder R."

Brown eyes watched every letter and a tiny wince came over the dark-haired boy when he saw the capital N in the middle of the name. He let it go, not wanting to upset the older boy.

"X-aaand-err." the small boy read aloud. A triumphant smile spread over Xander's face and he nodded.

"But… I-I thought your name was Young Master Alexander." the boy said, looking up at the blue eyes for the first time. It was a weird feeling. And being only four years old he couldn't understand it. But he could see warmth in the depths of those dark blue eyes.

_**"Never look into people's eyes, especially your elders. It's considered very disrespectful."**_ his master's voice echoed in the young boy's head.

He looked away from the blue eyes and down at the paper. The other boy snickered. Then he chuckled lightly. Until he finally burst out into loud peals of laughter. The dark-haired boy was confused.

**_"Why is he laughing?"_** he whispered in his head. **_"Is he laughing at me?"_**

Xander fell over onto his side, cackling loudly, his eyes shut as his face reddened.

He couldn't take much longer. Was he being ridiculed?

"W-Why… why are you laughing at me?" the boy whispered, tears brimming in his doe-like eyes.

The blue-eyed boy sat up slowly, looking into his companions face. "My name is not Young Master Alexander!" he exclaimed with a big smile.

"It's not?"

"No! Only you call me that…"

"But… Master Ruvinelli said that's what I am to call you…"

"He did?"

A silent nod.

"Well, you don't have to call me that anymore." Xander said with a cheeky grin. "You can call me Xander."

"X-Xander?"

"Yep!" he said with a smile.

"O-Okay." the younger boy responded with a blush. "B-But when Master Ruvinelli is around… I'll call you Young Master Alexander."

"Fine by me!" Xander shrugged. "Hey…" he murmured.

"…W-What?"

"What's your name?"

"…M-My name?"

A fervent nod.

"…I… I don't have one…" the small boy answered, seeming stunned at the realization.

"That's stupid! You have to have a name!" Xander exclaimed. "…I-I don't…" they boy stated firmly. Xander could tell the boy was getting upset, but he just had to know.

"What does your mamma call you?" he pressed, leaning down to look into the smaller boy's eyes. He saw tears in them. But why?

"…I… I don't have a mommy…" came the stifled response. A small tear fell onto Xander's notebook.

"You… don't have a mommy?" the blue-eyed boy repeated sadly. A dark head of hair shook.

"That's okay… my Mamma will take care of you." Xander said, trying to comfort the little boy. Sparkling wide eyes looked up at him. "R-Really?"

"Yep! She's always sleeping but when she wakes up I'll tell her if she wants to play with us. She likes that." the fair-skinned child assured, making it sound as if he agreed to play with his mom to please her.

"And you know what?" Xander's voice became a mere whisper. He signaled his companion to lean in. The younger boy did so shyly.

"I have a good name for you." came the hushed words. The younger boy was getting used to looking into his young master's blue eyes. It didn't feel so weird anymore.

"Y-You do!" he whispered, unable to hide his excitement.

"Yep! Mamma read me a story the other night. About a great wizard who saved a lot of people long ago." Xander whispered dramatically. The other boy's eyes went wide.

"What was his name?"

"Darko."

The room filled with silence. The young boy stared off into space as a cold breeze blew through them. He whispered the name over and over, enjoying the sound.

"It means gift. Mamma told me." Xander beamed proudly.

The tanned boy leaned close to his friend. "C-Can I have that name, Xander?" he asked. There was hope shinning in his eyes. "Yep! That's why I told you about it!" the young master replied, with a smirk. A blissful smile spread on the younger child's lips. _**"My name is Darko..."**_ he whispered, joyously.

He looked up, a barely noticeable blush gracing his small face. "Thank you, Xander.". The blue-eyed boy waved a hand away. "That's what friends are for!" he responded offhandedly. Darko's heart skipped a beat.

"W… We're friends!". His small voice was trembling.

"Yep!"

**_"I've never had a friend before."_**

Darko wanted to cry. But he didn't know why. He blinked away the tears, trying to smile. The room became silent once again and the newfound friends sat there, enjoying each other's company.

"Darko."

The tanned boy looked up quickly. He was getting used to being called that.

"Yes?"

"What comes after 16?"

"17"

"Oh yeah. I knew that. Just checking." Xander tried to hide his reddened cheeks.

Darko giggled, looking down as his friend wrote a squiggly seventeen.

_**End of Chapter.**_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these locations. Konami does. But I do own these two characters. They're off limits!

**Author's Note:** I'm just starting things off. It may be a bit boring but things will get much, much better, I promise! Please review:)


	3. A Reminder

**A Reminder**

Sunrise had come and the sun shone bright over Rega Arme. In the city's market district, vendors were already setting up shop. Here and there a few had even begun shouting after passersby to take a look at their wares. The fires at the forge had been burning several hours before the sun had even begun to peek over the mountains and bakers all over town had begun selling at first light. Those that still worked the land lived near the edge of town, among the most impoverished folk in the city. Farmers and cow-herders alike began their labor early, before the heat could beat down on them and make their work harder.

Those who worked as servants for the nobles had a long trek to make through the city and up the cobbled hill. Those mansions stood overlooking the city, grand, resplendent, and unattainable to the masses. To them, they looked like the vast castles of kings. It was the job of the servants to keep them that way.

High upon the hill, in the area that what was considered strictly for the 'first-class', the Ruvenellis still slept. Only the hushed whispers of the cook and the butler could be heard throughout the house. The cook was a middle-aged woman who's hunched form spoke of many years bent over a stove, the wrinkles near her eyes and lips spoke of smiles and laughter shared with her many children and grandchildren. She was muttering under her breath as she stuck a wooden spoon into a large pot of oatmeal.

"Where is that boy?" she said with a slight edge to her voice. At that very moment the front door of the manse opened and a young boy stepped in holding a grossly overstuffed bag of produced. He was clearly outmatched and was struggling not to drop the bag and its contents all over the floor as he headed towards the kitchen counter. "There you are!" she hissed, not turning away from the stove.

"I'm sorry for being late, ma'am..." he said quietly as he began to take some of the things out from inside the bag. "There were so many people at the market today." The cook "hmph!" and moved over to grab the bag of sugar the child had just taken from the bag. "I'm aware. I told you to wake up extra early this morning. First day of classes... of course it's going to be busy!" she said more to herself than the boy. He dared not respond but continued to meekly take things out of the bag as quickly as possible.

"Master will be up any minute and he'll be expecting breakfast ready and served on the table." The young butler had just walked into the kitchen from the other door, surveying the progress with a critical eye. The cook simply gave him a nasty look and turned back to her work without a word. The man on his part simply threw his nose in the air and exited the kitchen in silence. "Useless man. Two months on the job and already he thinks he runs the place. Ronald was a drunk but at least he didn't walk around putting airs all day." the cook muttered to no one in particular as she cracked three large eggs in a skillet.

Darko finished putting the last of the groceries in the pantry and turned to the cook with a smile. "Shall I set the table, ma'am." Beads of sweat had begun to collect on the woman's forehead from the haste she as working in. "Yes, dear... quickly and quietly!" she replied, not stopping to look at the boy. He left the kitchen and entered to the dinning room, doing his best not to make noise and buy time for the cook. He set himself to work placing plates and silverware, struggling not to make a sound. But just as he had finished putting down the last plate on the table, the extra silverware he was holding onto slipped from under his arm and hit the floor with a loud clatter. He winced and quickly picked them up, glancing around as if expecting someone to appear. He heard a cough and a grumble in the distance and quickly recognized it as that of the young master. He smiled in spite of himself and headed back to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry!" he murmured as soon as he stepped in "they slipped!" The cook apparently hadn't heard him, she was absorbed in her task of buttering up slices of bread. "Start serving the orange juice, I think I hear the master in the privy!" Darko nodded and grabbed the large pitcher of fresh-squeezed orange juice and took it back into the dinning room. He stopped short when he saw someone already sitting at the table looking at him.

"X-Xander..." he whispered, taken aback. "Morning." the blond-haired boy said groggily as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Good morning" Darko replied, smiling and pouring orange juice into his young master's glass. "What's for breakfast?" the other boy asked.

"Today we have raisin oatmeal and omelets on toast." Darko replied in the tone of an experienced chef as he poured 2 more glasses of juice. "I hate raisins." Xander muttered with a grimace. "Especially when they get all soggy. It feels like I'm eating beetle dung." The other boy let out a giggle and turned back towards the kitchen. "You do that every day anyway so you shouldn't complain." he replied with a grin. He fled from the dinning room before Xander had a chance to reply.

The cook was waiting for him in the kitchen with a stern look. The smile quickly vanished from Darko's face. He knew what she was going to say. "Honestly! How many times do I have to remind you?" she whispered angrily "If the master hears you speaking to young Alexander like that... well I don't even want to think what would happen..." She trailed off, her eyes apprehensive. "H-He's my friend." Darko replied dimly, knowing full well that wasn't a good defense. The cook let out a sound that showed she couldn't believe her ears. "Friend? Friend? Child, the young master will never be your friend!" Her eyes were aflame as she glowered at him. Her expression changed when she saw the hurt on the young boy's face. "Child..." she murmured, her tone more sympathetic. "Young master Alexander is of noble blood. And you... you were sold into this house. You are bound for life to it and this family... but you will never be a part of it. I've explained to you what it means to be in the 3rd class many times."

Darko couldn't look at her. Inside him anger was bubbling. But it was a feebly anger, outweighed by the sadness he felt whenever he was reminded of what he was, of the walls that separated him from Xander. "Do you understand?" the cook asked, bringing him back from his thoughts. "Yes." he replied quietly. "Good. Here, take this into the dinning room" she said, handing him the pot of oatmeal. "I'll be there in a minute. Now you mind what I said." The dark haired boy nodded and exited the kitchen.

When he entered the dinning room, Master Ruvenelli was already sitting at the head of the table, conversing with his son.

"Professor Mikhael is a good friend of mine. You behave in class today, do you understand? No horse-playing and absolutely no fighting or you will be in serious trouble when you get home, young man." Xander was glowering at his orange juice in silence. "Alexander." his father said, his voice low but menacing. "Yes, father." the blond-haired boy replied but didn't stop scowling. He tried to catch Darko's eyes as the young servant moved over to the table and began pouring porridge. He wanted to make a face at Darko, just to make him laugh but the other boy wasn't looking. He kept his dark eyes concentrated on the bowl as he poured without a word. Xander frowned slightly, wondering what was wrong with his friend.

"The Mistress is not feeling well today." Master Ruvenelli said, stopping Darko from pouring oatmeal into the third bowl set on the table. "She will not be joining us for breakfast, I'm afraid." Darko froze at the sound of his master's voice speaking to him, then bowed slightly and turned away towards the kitchen. "Child." the man called from behind and Darko remembered. To Xander he was called Darko, it was him who had given him his name. But to everyone else, especially to his master, he was simply '_child_' or '_boy_'. He was nobody.

"I have a special task for you today." Master Ruvenelli said. The young servant looked at the man's face, not into his eyes, never into his eyes, but at his smile. It was more a grimace, cold and hard. "Y-Yes master?" Darko asked after a few seconds of silence. Behind his back, his hands were shaking badly. "A dear friend of mine would like to meet you. He requires you..." the man said vaguely. Something in his tone frightened Darko. He didn't know what to say to that, so he said nothing. "You will go to him today at sunset. Is that understood?"

"Yes, m-master." the boy replied quietly and swept away. From his place at the table, Xander was listening intently, curious to know what this task was all about. He hadn't even touched his oatmeal, but was watching his father closely. Something about the way his father was looking after Darko was unsettling, but he couldn't say why exactly.

There was something in the depths of his father's eyes that he had never seen before, a hunger, a fire that burned blue.

* * *

Writer's Note: Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since I updated this story! Sorry to anyone who had been waiting for an update. At the time I had been doing a lot of writing in various Suikoden websites and I guess I was just burnt out. I had actually gotten pretty far into this story before on suikox, but now I've decided to rewrite the whole thing. I think I was 17 when I first wrote it and I'm 23 now so I'm interesting to see if that effects the way I write and change the characters.

Originally I had planned to have 3 main characters but I think that'll be too unwieldy to write and to follow, so I decided on just one. Oh and I've changed the title of the story as well.

This chapter was kind of set up for what's to come. I hope the ending was interesting enough to get people to come back for more.

Reviews and feedback would be appreciated! :)


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